Actuators, for example in the form of throttle valves, are used in internal combustion engines for controlling and/or regulating the rate of the air flow supplied to the internal combustion engine. Standard throttle valves are typically used for this purpose; i.e., a throttle valve controls the rate of the air flow in a mass flow channel that is supplied, for example in the form of a cylindrical inflow, to the internal combustion engine. To be able to maintain the requisite accuracy in the air flow control, the opening angle of the throttle valve must be ascertained as precisely as possible. Angular-position sensors are used for this purpose, for example. However, these sensors must be calibrated to the mechanical limit stops of the throttle valve, to compensate, inter alia, for assembly tolerances. This is accomplished by what is generally referred to as “learning” the limit stops. The throttle valve is adjustable in the position, respectively opening angle thereof, between two mechanical limit stops in the mass flow channel. The throttle valve is fully closed at one of the two limit stops and fully open at the other one of the two limit stops. The process of learning the limit stops entails the throttle valve approaching the limit stops and, depending on the particular limit stop, the throttle valve angles measured upon reaching the limit stops are defined as throttle valve angles for a fully open throttle valve, respectively as throttle valve angles for a fully closed throttle valve.
However, for relatively large internal combustion engines, dual- or multi-flow systems are also used, where a plurality of cylinder banks are provided, each having its own air supply and separate throttle valve. Normally, a plurality of standard throttle valves are used in such systems, namely one per inflow path. In the meantime, however, due, inter alia, to discussions that are increasingly focused on installation space, throttle valves are also being used that are connected by a common shaft (in each case, one per inflow path). Throttle valves connected in this manner then have only one common drive, thereby eliminating the need for further drives for the throttle valves. The throttle valves driven via the common drive in the various mass flow channels may then be adjusted between a first mechanical limit stop and a second mechanical limit stop in the particular mass flow channel.